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Vocational students aim higher at The College Merthyr Tydfil

05/09/2014

Over 93 students from the College Merthyr Tydfil are getting ready to embark on Higher Education degrees after successfully completing their two year vocational programmes.

11 CACHE Level 3 Diploma students are progressing on to a variety of higher education courses, including Lori Davies and Sophie Brown who have been accepted to study Child Nursing at the University of South Wales; Courtney Barrett, Chontelle Owen and Sophie Jones who are progressing onto Primary Education Teaching and Donna Wells, Jemma Cross, Matthew Broad, Naomi Bentley, Sophie Nichols and Abbie Taylor who are progressing onto a Foundation Degree in Childhood Studies.

The college’s Health and Social Care students have also performed exceptionally well with a number progressing onto degrees at a range of universities across the UK. Catrin Phelps and Heather John have been accepted on to Nursing Degrees at the University of South Wales, Rosie Minett is looking forward to studying an Occupational Department Practice Degree in London and Gabrielle Davies is heading to Bristol to study Criminal Psychology.

Nicola Meek, Head of Health and Social Care at The College Merthyr Tydfil commented “The students have performed exceptionally well. Their results reflect the hard work, efforts and determination of both the students and their staff. We offer all of our students the opportunity to engage in a variety of extra curricula activities and higher education visits, talks, summer schools and much more to both inspire them and give them a taste of what it’s like to study at a higher level. I am pleased to see that so many have successfully gained places on degree courses”.

Blaine Webber, a BTEC level 3 Sports student is looking forward to commencing on a Foundation Degree in Sports Performance and Coaching. Blaine, who had the opportunity to participate in the Challenger Sports in America Programme during the summer of 2013, has excelled in a number of areas throughout his two years at the college, particularly through volunteering and coaching in the community. Achieving his Community Sports Leaders Award, Higher Sports Leaders Award and Millennium Volunteers, Blaine regularly volunteers to coach young football players at the local Merthyr Tydfil Football Club Academy.

Year one students from across the college have also performed extremely well in the first year of their BTEC programmes. Three of the college’s BTEC sports students have achieved double distinction stars - Chloe Lloyd, John Hughes and Jess Osborne. Jess Osbourne (pictured below) has also successfully achieved Millennium Volunteers 200 hours - their highest certificate for volunteering aswell.

Sarah Kerrigan, Head of Sport stated that “In her first year Jessica has shown what an exceptional all round student she is. She produces work of distinction standard and commits herself to all aspects of the course. She has volunteered over 200 hours this year and is regular member of our successful College Football Team. I look forward to working with Jessica over the course of the next year to help and support her to maximise her potential and progress on to a higher education degree”.

Students from the Merthyr Tydfil schools also performed well in their first year of study at the college. Gabrielle Phare (previously from Afon Taf High School) achieved two Distinction *s in her BTEC Art and Design Diploma. Kelsey Butler and Rachel Jones (previously from Penydre High School) both achieved two Distinction *s in their BTEC Health and Social Care Diploma. Alexander Lewis (previously from Bishop Hedley Catholic High School) achieved two Distinctions and a Merit in his BTEC Music Extended Diploma and Sarah Jones (previously from Penydre High School) achieved two Distinctions in her BTEC Travel and Tourism 90 credit Diploma.

The college offers a wide range of BTEC and vocational qualifications from Science through to Motor Vehicle and Construction. The college has a number of programmes in place to ensure that all students have an opportunity to gain the skills, experience and support they require to successfully progress on to higher education or employment.